he

he ► PRONOUN (third person sing. ) 1) used to refer to a man, boy, or male animal previously mentioned or easily identified. 2) used to refer to a person or animal of unspecified sex (in modern use, now largely replaced by ‘he or she’ or ‘they’). 3) any person (in modern use, now largely replaced by ‘anyone’ or ‘the person’).

► NOUN ▪ a male; a man.

USAGE Until recently, he was used to refer to a person of unspecified sex; this use is now regarded as dated and sexist. A solution has been to use he or she, but this can be long-winded if used repeatedly. Use of they as an alternative to he (as in everyone needs to feel that they matter ) has been in use since the 18th century, in contexts where it occurs after an indefinite pronoun such as everyone or someone, and it is now becoming more and more accepted both in speech and in writing.

ORIGIN Old English.